As time passes and next summer's rematch approaches, however, Mendon's 30-21 win Saturday at Schoolcraft High School will loom larger in the minds of Schoolcraft's players seeking revenge and Mendon's squad out to prove the 2013 win was no fluke.

Until then, players on both sides can relish a game that more than lived up to the hype.

Mendon's Tim Slaughter Sr. (1983 graduate) said the pre-game jitters never cease, no matter how long it's been since last suiting up.

"I had the butterflies right from the beginning, and until you get in that first kick, they never go away," he said. "It was so much fun, like you grabbed your childhood back again for one night."

Proof that the alumni game meant more than the final score was validated as Slaughter looked across the field and identified members of his family, smiling and eager to take pictures. It was an emotional experience as he introduced the proud assembly.

"Cheering me on, I had my mom and dad, wife, brother and one of my kids," Slaughter said, his voice cracking with emotion. "And I played with Tim Jr. … father and son."

Tim Slaughter Jr., (2010) said never in a million years did he imagine he'd take the field in a full-contact game alongside his dad.

"Any day, any team, it doesn't matter when or who we'd play, this was something we've been training for, for five, six months and it was an experience I wouldn't trade for the world," Slaughter Jr. said.

For as much as the 50-person Mendon squad and 42-man Schoolcraft team enjoyed the reunion and a chance to make a statement, the former St. Joseph Valley League football heavyweights were eagerly lauded by the 3,000-plus crowd that filled Schoolcraft's Roy Davis Field.

Sections of bleacher space on both sides of the stands were claimed with blankets and towels as early as 9 a.m. With more than an hour before kickoff, parking was overflowed into the streets and pre-game tailgating was in full swing.

Schoolcraft's Wendy Fox – whose son, Hunter Murphy (2011) and husband Matt Fox (1990) suited up for the Eagles – said there was no way to tell the difference between Saturday's atmosphere and the aura on a Friday night when the final score actually counts in the standings.

"I'm lucky to have two men to cheer for and it's especially personal because Roy Davis was my husband's grandfather," Fox said. "This game tonight, it's all Matt and Hunter have talked about since May."

Contrary to what the final score showed, athletic programs at Mendon and Schoolcraft were the real winners Saturday. Proceeds from not only gate admission, but the $50 per-player fee, will be split between the schools.

As the host school in 2014, Mendon will have the chance to reap additional profit from concession and any other fundraising efforts staged on their home field.

Mendon held a one-game advantage in the all-time series against Schoolcraft, 32-31-2. That fact alone served as motivation in the Schoolcraft locker room, where the statistic was included on a coach's white board.

But there was no need for billboard material to fire up players on either side. While good sportsmanship prevailed throughout most of the contest, the hits were real and the resulting stings were quick reminders that nobody was playing to lose.

The most serious injury of the night came in the first quarter, when Schoolcraft's Dan Helland (2004) dislocated a kneecap on a defensive play. He was placed on a stretcher and departed via ambulance. Teammates said afterward he would recover.

After a scoreless first quarter, Mendon took a 14-0 lead on a five-yard run by Mike Straley (1994) and a 2-yard reception by Trent Allen (1993).

Schoolcraft cut it to a 14-7 halftime margin thanks to a 25-yard pass play from Kyle Scott (2008) to Tanner Sommerfield (2008). Sommerfield said feeling the ball land softly in his hands was a memorable experience.

"It was all the QB … a perfect pass anybody could have caught, but it felt good to bring it in, especially since it was on fourth down," he said.

Mendon outscored Schoolcraft, 16-6 in the third quarter, fueled by a 6-yard grab by Tim Slaughter Jr. (2010). Later, on third and 10, Nick Eberstein (2013) hauled in a screen pass and ran 90 yards for Mendon's final touchdown.

Schoolcraft got its third-quarter touchdown on a 39-yard pass play to Sommerfield. The Eagles finished the game's scoring at the 3:59 mark with a 1-yard run by Dave Musselman (1998).

Schoolcraft left the SJV after the 2007 season and plays in a conference without room for non-league football matchups. As a result, the alumni contest was eagerly anticipated for months by fans and players alike.